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New osteoporosis drug appears to reduce bone loss in mice with oral cancer

A drug currently approved for osteoporosis treatment has been shown to reduce bone loss in a study of mice with oral cancer, suggesting it could serve as an important supplemental therapy in patients with head and neck cancers that erode bone.

14 Dec 2010

Lilly suspends tasisulam global Phase III study in metastatic melanoma

Eli Lilly and Company announced today that it has suspended its global Phase III study evaluating tasisulam, an investigational, small-molecule anti-cancer compound, as a second-line treatment for those with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

13 Dec 2010

State roundup: New Dem Gov. and Minn. Medicaid; Fla. docs on Medicaid changes; Iowa Gov. eyes long-term care loopholes; Conn. provider rates

Over the past decade, programs that integrate Medicaid and Medicare have resulted in improved consumer satisfaction, better health outcomes and lower Medicaid costs in Arizona, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Wisconsin and Washington. In each case, states have had to change their Medicaid rules by attaining a waiver from the federal government (Vestal, 12/13).

13 Dec 2010

Majority of brain tumor patients use alternative therapies

Many people with incurable brain tumors use alternative therapies, such as taking vitamins and homeopathy, in addition to their conventional treatments, according to a study published in the December 14, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

13 Dec 2010

PREZISTA/ritonavir once-daily dosing for HIV-1 receives FDA approval for treatment in no DRV RAM adults

Tibotec Therapeutics, a division of Centocor Ortho Biotech Products, L.P., announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a revision to the dosing recommendation to include once-daily dosing of PREZISTA® (darunavir) tablets in combination with ritonavir for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) in treatment-experienced adult patients with no darunavir resistance-associated mutations (DRV RAMs).

13 Dec 2010

Research: Kidney disease caused by autoimmune disease lupus may be twice as lethal in children

Kidney disease caused by the autoimmune disease lupus may be twice as lethal in children as kidney disease caused by other disorders, according to research led by Johns Hopkins Children's Center investigators.

13 Dec 2010

Soda taxes – would they do any good?

According to new research from Duke-National University of Singapore (NUS) Graduate Medical School imposing higher taxes on sodas and other sweetened drinks would lead to only minimal weight loss among most people and would have no effect on weight among consumers in the highest and lowest income groups.

13 Dec 2010

Apartment living exposes kids to more second-hand smoke

A new study finds that kids who live in apartments have more tobacco contaminants in their blood than those who live in houses, even if smokers in the household refrain from smoking at home.

13 Dec 2010

Alzheimer’s research update

Alzheimer’s disease researchers have been working for a while with a small, sticky protein fragment, beta amyloid, that clumps into balls in the brains of patients with this degenerative neurological disease. It is a normal protein that is present in every normal brain but in Alzheimer’s it starts to accumulate into these balls or plaques. On buildup of amyloid symptoms of the disease appear.

13 Dec 2010

Gray’s Anatomy: Grey area for medical students!

In a new study researchers have found that Australian medical students are struggling to name important body parts. They found that only nine of the 26 students could answer half of 20 questions correctly. Some (nearly a quarter) answers were “of concern” indicating a perfunctory knowledge of human anatomy.

13 Dec 2010

Fat or obese – What’s in a name?

The question of whether the term ‘fat’ is more appropriate than ‘obese’ was raised in an Australian study that confirmed the former is the “lesser of two evils”. The study from University of NSW study which looked at public perceptions surrounding these words has found that, while both are unwelcome, obese was viewed more negatively.

13 Dec 2010

Intercell to stop further development of Travelers' Diarrhea Vaccine Patch

Intercell AG announced today preliminary clinical results on its investigational Travelers' Diarrhea (TD) Vaccine Patch program and the decision not to pursue further the development of this vaccine candidate. The decision was made following the receipt of results of its randomized and placebo-controlled Phase III study (ELT301) with 2036 travelers from Europe to Mexico and Guatemala as well as the pilot efficacy Phase II trial (ELT209) with 723 travelers from Europe to India.

13 Dec 2010

Enrollment commences in multi-center clinical trial of CorMatrix ECM for Pericardial Closure

CorMatrix Cardiovascular, Inc., an Atlanta-based company dedicated to developing and delivering unique extracellular matrix (ECM) biomaterial devices that harness the body's innate ability to repair damaged cardiovascular tissue, announced today that Franciscan Alliance/St. Francis Heart Center in Indianapolis, Indiana is the first site to enroll a patient in the multi-center clinical trial of the CorMatrix ECM for Pericardial Closure to reduce the incidence of new onset postoperative atrial fibrillation.

13 Dec 2010

Consumers, employers and insurers work to incorporate reform's new rules

Big employers and insurers continue to brace for health reform's changes and new rules. In other news, CalPERS gives the new health law positive early reviews while other reports focus on how reform could impact Medicare coverage.

13 Dec 2010

iMDsoft, Mindray enter new distribution agreement

iMDsoft®, a leader in hospital-wide clinical information systems, and Mindray, a leading global provider of medical devices, have today announced a new distribution agreement. Under the agreement, Mindray will sell only clinical information systems by iMDsoft, and will be the sole distributor of MetaVision® in China. Mindray will also distribute iMDsoft's MetaVision® Suite solutions in 10 countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

From Mindray 13 Dec 2010

Federal judge poised to issue ruling in Virginia health law challenge

A Virginia federal court judge is expected today to issue a much-awaited ruling on whether the new health law violates the Constitution. Meanwhile, legal arguments are scheduled to take place Thursday in a Florida courtroom regarding a separate challenge to the health overhaul.

13 Dec 2010

FDA clears Clear Catheter Systems' PleuraFlow Active Tube Clearance System

Clear Catheter Systems, Inc., a Bend, Oregon-based medical device company, announced today that it has received US Food and Drug Administration clearance for its innovative PleuraFlow™ Active Tube Clearance System. This is a device that can be widely deployed in the post operative management of patients requiring heart and lung surgery.

13 Dec 2010

Survey: Health savings accounts pick up steam but remain a small part of health insurance market

A new survey finds that health reimbursements and health savings accounts are picking up steam but still remain a small piece of the national insurance market. Meanwhile, leaders in the Texas health insurance and delivery system agree that paying for value in health care, rather than volume, is key. Finally, maternity insurance continues to be a challenge for some consumers.

13 Dec 2010

$Indian study confirms vitamin D deficiency as risk factor for hip fracture$

Indian study confirms vitamin D deficiency as risk factor for hip fracture

A study from New Delhi India has revealed high rates of vitamin D deficiency among hip fracture patients, confirming the conclusions of similar international studies which point to vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for hip fracture.

13 Dec 2010

Mass. confronts high health costs

Massachusetts, four years into its own version of health reform, is now taking on the issue of spiraling health costs by attempting to change the health care payment system.

13 Dec 2010